We have this steer that has become quite the escape artist. He and a heifer were in the catch pen together being fed for slaughter. The heifer had her date with the freezer, but this guy still has a bit more time. Now that he is alone, he gets bored. He has learned how to open all the gates in the catch pen.
Husband would turn handles certain ways to prevent cows from opening gates. That doesn’t work with this steer. He opens gates and undoes chains! Husband has had to tie gates shut and still we have issues. Now the steer is letting other cattle out and not just himself!
The other day we were talking about this crazy steer and we looked up and a group of heifers that had been penned up in the catch pen were all out in the field. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing and what do you know? We stood there and watched the steer walk out with them into the green grass. How did they get out? It was an inside job!
Not only was the steer letting himself out, any other cows over in the pens, he let out too! Husband has now tied and double tied every gate in the place! He was not only getting himself into trouble, he made sure he wasn’t alone in his escapades!
I heard a story on the radio the other day and I immediately thought about that steer. There had been a bank robbery in a town and no one could figure out how the thieves had done it. There were no break ins and all doors remained locked, yet the bank had been robbed.
It was an inside job.
During the day, someone working for the bank had allowed an accomplice to hide in a small closet. That night, the thief robbed the bank, hid back in the closet and the next day was able to slip out without a problem. If not for the man on the inside, an employee, it would not have gone so easily. Luckily some good police work finally put the pieces together.
What does a bank robbery and an incredibly smart steer have to do with one another?
Sin is an inside job.
No one came and let the steer out of the pen. No one forgot and left the gate open, although that was suspected! No one untied the rope and let the heifers out into the field. It was an inside job. The steer did it! Sin is an inside job.
No, the devil didn’t do it and neither did he make you do it! No one else is to blame for our shortcomings, no matter how hard we try. Just like that bank, there is something on the inside. It’s inside each of us – our flesh. If we don’t have it under control, if we aren’t praying, reading our Bible and trying every day to please the Father, that flesh rears its ugly head and gets us in trouble.
It’s the thing that reacts in anger. It is the part of us that lies, gossips, cheats, steals, and every other sin in between. It’s an inside job and the only way to beat it is with Him.
But we have hope! Just like husband double ties the gates to stop the steer from opening from the inside, we have our Heavenly Father and HE has the ability to tie the gate! If we walk with Him, if we walk in His spirit, the gate is tied shut! No inside job here!
I loved this analogy! And what a smart steer to learn to undo gates. Thank you for sharing this story. And lesson.
He’s pretty smart!